Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Gameday Preview: Stars at Houston Aeros

Texas Stars
37-17-5-6, 85 pts
#1 Western Conference

at

Houston Aeros
33-22-4-5, 75 pts
#5 Western Conference

March 26th at 7:30 PM

Toyota Center, Houston, TX

Texas makes its way to Houston today for the last game in the Toyota Center for this regular season and what could potentially be their last regular season game in the building for quite some time. With no word of a pending arena deal in H-town the Aeros could be headed north for good starting next season.

Regardless of that, the Aeros are very much still in Houston for the moment and are also in the middle of the playoff hunt as the fifth seed in the West. If they continue their current pace, they are likely to make the playoffs and stay above the fray forming from about 7th to 13th place, currently only separated by five points. Four teams are tied for 8th at 69 points.

The battle for Houston right now is one for home ice advatnage, at least in the first round. As things are shaping up today, the Aeros would face off against the Checkers in a 2-3-2 format. Four games would be in Charlotte, which owns the season series between the two currently at 5-2-1. Any little bit helps.

Texas and Houston haven't played in a month and a half, surprisngly. Since then for Houston, the Wild have traded away Chay Genoway. Jason Zucker was called to Minnesota, concussed at the hands of Corey Perry but has now returned to the lineup in Houston. Mikael Granlund has returned from the NHL and has an active ten game point streak reaching back to before the lockout.

Also out for Houston currently is Darcy Kuemper, playing his trade in Minnesota for the moment. Matt Hackett, John Curry and Cody Reichard are tending the net for the Aeros for the time being.